50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemorated at U.S. Postal Service Medal of Honor Stamp Unveiling

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50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemorated at U.S. Postal Service Medal of Honor stamp unveiling

Unveiling is part of the statewide “Veterans + Labor – Partners in Service” project sponsored by California’s unions

COSTA MESA – The United States Postal Service will host a West Coast ceremony to commemorate the release of the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Medal of Honor stamps at 2 p.m.Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015, during a FREE Veterans Day community celebration at the OC Fair & Event Center. Beginning atnoon, Nov. 11, the public can purchase commemorative stamps and envelopes at the event.

The Medal of Honor: Vietnam War Prestige Folio stamp depicts 48 of the more than 50 living Vietnam War era awardees (some chose not to have their name and/or photograph included). The folio, which lists the names of the Orange County recipients, is modeled after the World War II andKorean War Medal of Honor prestige folio stamp sheets issued in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Several million service men and women fought in the conflict, which claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans. Two hundred fifty-eight people who served during the war received the Medal of Honor. More than six out of 10 recipients were honored posthumously according the United States Postal Service.

The stamp unveiling is part of a celebration hosted by California’s unions through the “Veterans + Labor – Partners in Service” project (www.veteransandlabor.com), which aims to mobilize volunteers for veterans and advance policies that connect our nation’s heroes to good jobs and the services they need.

The ceremony caps an event that includes live music and entertainment, free hot dogs, information on resources and job opportunities for veterans, resources, historic military vehicles and armament, children’s activities and more.

Interviews are available upon request with Vietnam War veterans who served in various aspects of the conflict (combat nurse, Marine infantry, Navy sailor).

More on the Vietnam War: The Vietnam War was a protracted conflict between North Vietnam and South Vietnam, beginning in the mid-1950s and ending with the fall of Saigon in the south in 1975. The first U.S. combat troops were committed to the defense of South Vietnam in March 1965, although American military advisers had been involved in South Vietnam since the 1950s. U.S. troops were withdrawn from the country in 1973.